Modern data processing integrated circuit (IC) devices often include hundreds of millions of transistors. A typical design team can include hundreds of engineers and the effort to advance an IC device from conception to manufacturing can encompass years. Design productivity is a major factor for these increasingly complex IC devices to meet marketing schedules. Computer-aided design (CAD) tools can provide automation of some design processes, and additional computer resources also can improve productivity by reducing the time required to perform specific tasks. The greatest source of increased design productivity can be realized in the realm of design methodology.
Design methodologies have generally progressed from processes conducted at the transistor level to processes involving standardized library components. Library-based methodologies cannot always provide the same level of performance, power efficiency, and device area efficiency that can be realized using transistor-level techniques. Therefore, design methodologies often support both library and transistor development systems using highly disparate CAD tools and design verification systems. Developing and supporting multiple design tool platforms is costly, and can lead to deficiencies in the overall functional and electrical verification process due to inherent incompatibilities of the two verification systems.